The monthly crossword themed around current affairs, this month brought to you by Jason. Find it online at ft.com/crossword
A very enjoyable puzzle as we expect from the veteran setter. Thanks, Jason!
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | DOOMSDAY |
Flipping gloom and sad, sad, unknown time of reckoning (8)
|
| MOOD (gloom) reversed (flipping) + anagram (sad) of SAD + Y (unknown) | ||
| 5 | USES UP |
American energy supplement finishes (4,2)
|
| US (American) + E (energy) + SUP (supplement) | ||
| 9 | FREEBIES |
See brief about ‘donations’ (8)
|
| Anagram (about) of SEE BRIEF
The investigation into donations to Reform UK in ongoing |
||
| 10 | SLEAZE |
Immorality, as they say, kills — Head of Education admitted (6)
|
| Soundalike (as they say) of “SLAYS” with the first letter (head) of Education inserted (admitted) | ||
| 12 | NOBEL |
New award left as prize (5)
|
| N (new) + OBE (award) + L (left)
The Nobel prizes for 2026 were awarded this month, including the prize for peace awarded to South African lawyer Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights |
||
| 13 | INNOCENCE |
Local church in former purity (9)
|
| INN (local) + CE (church) in ONCE (former) | ||
| 14 | ARCHER |
Perhaps a longbowman who’s left (6)
|
| Two definitions
The politician, novelist and convicted criminal Jeffrey Archer died this month aged 86 |
||
| 16 | NOTEPAD |
Gibberish on a dept jotter (7)
|
| Anagram (gibberish) of ON A DEPT | ||
| 19 | AVERRED |
‘Hail, end of order’ revolutionary declared (7)
|
| AVE (hail) + last letter (end) of ordeR + RED (revolutionary) | ||
| 21 | TORRID |
Passionate nonsense turned free (6)
|
| ROT (nonsense) reversed (turned) + RID (free) | ||
| 23 | EMBATTLES |
Met bleats absurdly so readies for trouble (9)
|
| Anagram (absurdly) of MET BLEATS | ||
| 25 | RIOTS |
French fracas current in breakdowns (5)
|
| I (current) in ROTS (breakdowns)
There’s been more trouble on the streets of French cities this weekend, with a thousand arrests yesterday |
||
| 26 | TRANCE |
Deep state, perhaps, plan to hold name (6)
|
| TRACE (plan) containing (to hold) N (name) | ||
| 27 | FAIRFORD |
Open crossing could be a place of trouble (8)
|
| FAIR (open) + FORD (crossing)
A group of men were arrested for behaving suspiciously near RAF Fairford base in Gloucestershire, supposedly with terrorist connections |
||
| 28 | YODELS |
Sings of oiks beginning to die for king (6)
|
| YO[k]ELS (oiks) with the K (king) replaced by the first letter of (beginning to) Die | ||
| 29 | HYPNOSIS |
Sleepy state is behind posh NY altering (8)
|
| IS behind an anagram (altering) of POSH NY | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | DEFUND |
Remove income from Democrat electronic reserve (6)
|
| D (Democrat) + E (electronic) + FUND (reserve) | ||
| 2 | OVERBORNE |
Browbeaten on top of pain carrying Burnham’s central point (9)
|
| OVER (on top of) + BORE (pain) containing (carrying) the middle letter (central point) of burNham
Wasn’t sure about bore = pain but of course it’s in the sense of a boring/annoying person |
||
| 3 | SIBYL |
I see the future is up at the side of Labour’s leader (5)
|
| IS reversed (up) + BY (at the side of) + first letter (leader) of Labour | ||
| 4 | ATELIER |
Fresh alert concerning one close to free artist’s studio (7)
|
| Anagram (fresh) of ALERT containing (concerning) I (one) + last letter of (close to) freE | ||
| 6 | SOLICITOR |
What the Business Secretary isn’t provided proper gold (9)
|
| SO (provided) + LICIT (proper) + OR (gold)
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is being investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority over claims that he misrepresented his status as a solicitor |
||
| 7 | SPAIN |
Wrong to accept dad’s country going to the polls (5)
|
| SIN (wrong) containing (to accept) PA (dad)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez recently announced a ‘snap’ general election on 29 November |
||
| 8 | PREBENDS |
Church’s offices before crooks (8)
|
| PRE (before) + BENDS (crooks) | ||
| 11 | ANON |
European’s last couple acceptable before long (4)
|
| Last couple (of letters) of europeAN + ON (acceptable) | ||
| 15 | HERETICAL |
Unorthodox present to amuse, we gather (9)
|
| HERE (present) + soundalike (we gather) of “TICKLE” (to amuse) | ||
| 17 | POISONOUS |
Soon pious groups to become offensive (9)
|
| Anagram (groups) of SOON PIOUS | ||
| 18 | TAPESTRY |
Videos, say, evaluate pictured fabric (8)
|
| TAPES (videos, say) + TRY (evaluate)
The Bayeux Tapestry is currently on display at the British Museum |
||
| 20 | DALE |
Dog’s lead and beer — it’s a feature of the countryside (4)
|
| First letter (lead) of Dog + ALE (beer) | ||
| 21 | TUSCANY |
Wine heist area cuts any transfers (7)
|
| Anagram (transfers) of CUTS ANY
A gang of masked robbers stole 30,000 bottles of wine from the Marchesi Antinori winery in Tuscany a couple of weeks ago |
||
| 22 | ASIDES |
The best party’s obiter dicta (6)
|
| A (the best) + SIDE’S (party’s) | ||
| 24 | BRAND |
Label as healthy breakfast supplied by daughter (5)
|
| BRAN (healthy breakfast) + D (daughter) | ||
| 25 | RERUN |
Some conspirer undoubtedly to broadcast once more (5)
|
| Some (of) conspiRER UNdoubtedly |
Excellent puzzle. Very detailed and illuminating blog.
Thanks Jason and Widdersbel.
USES UP
Is it a reference to the US pact with Russia for diesel?
DEFUND
May be a reference to the reduction of funding by the USA
to the UN.
Thanks for the blog, which is always appreciated for these News puzzles. As an American, not much UK news filters through–and in these times I find news in general depressing, so I’m worse about keeping up than I might be–so I always need at least a few of the topical references explained.
24d BRAND refers to Russell of that ilk, whose High Court trial is ongoing
Comment #4
Adding a few more bits:
DOOMSDAY – some of the tabloids headlined the UK advice to stockpile food and water with this?
SLEAZE – latest Reform party revelations? ITV programme recently with undercover filming
EMBATTLES – is this to do with the additional problems the Met (Police) are raising around the early release scheme?
TRANCE – Angela Rayner had a DJ set at the Labour Party conference and played trance music.
Is RERUN anything to the second series of Celebrity Traitors?
Thank you to Jason and Widdersbel